General provisions
Public association is a voluntary unit created by citizens on the basis of common interests for the purpose joint implementation of civic, economic, social and cultural rights for satisfaction of spiritual and other non-material needs.
Public associations are established and act on the principles of voluntariness, independence and openness, their activity shall be based on the Statute and shall be conducted in conformity with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Public Associations" and legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
 Belarusian legislation sets forth a general approach to the status of a public association depending on the territory covered by the activity of a public association - there are republican, local and international public associations. Separately, legislation distinguishes child and youth public associations on the basis of age criteria of members. Legal practice has applied the type of organizations' activity for dividing them into educational, social, human rights, sport and other associations.
Public associations can be created on the initiative of citizens of the Republic of Belarus of 18 years of age, except for youth and child associations which can be created by Belarusian citizens in the age of 16.

Restrictions
There is a number of legal restrictions for the creation of public associations.  Restrictions are based on two criteria - restrictions of the purposes of activity and restrictions of membership.
Creation of  public associations that aim to overthrow or change the constitutional system by force, break the integrity or security of the state, conduct propaganda of war, or incite social, ethnic, religious and racial hatred, as well as activity of associations which may have a negative impact on physical and mental health of citizens shall be prohibited.
Judges, employees of the offices of public prosecution, agencies of internal, Committee of State Control, security agencies and military personnel cannot be members of political parties and other public associations pursuing political goals.

Status of public associations

• International public association is a public association created on the initiative of at least 10 Belarusian citizens and citizens of a foreign state (foreign states), which acts on the territory of the Republic of Belarus (in one or several administrative and territorial units) and on the territory of one or several foreign states, and which has organizational structures there;
• Republican public association is a public association created on the initiative of at least 50 citizens of the Republic of Belarus (at least 10 citizens in most Belarusian oblasts and in Minsk), which acts on the whole territory of the Republic of Belarus;
• Local public association is a public association created on the initiative of at least 10 citizens of the Republic of Belarus residing on the territory of the administrative and territorial unit (city, city region, oblast), which acts on the territory of one or several administrative and territorial units.

Status of child and youth associations is defined in the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On state support to youth and child public associations in the Republic of Belarus".  Youth association unites citizens of up to 31 years of age (no less than 2/3 of the total number of members). Child association unites citizens of up to 18 years of age (no less than 2/3 of the total number of members). Statutorial activity of youth and child associations shall be directed at securing social formation and development of children and youth and shall express their specific interests. 

State registration
International and republican public associations shall be registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus, local public associations shall be registered by justice agencies of oblast executive committees, Minsk city executive committee at the place of location of the directorate body of the organization.